


Periapt

by Red_Cheshire



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Ambiguous Relationships, Haunted Houses, Horror, May or may not be post-game, Possessive Behavior, Thriller, ambiguous setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-22 03:05:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13754943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Red_Cheshire/pseuds/Red_Cheshire
Summary: Coming here had been his worst idea ever. Prompto had had terrible ideas before, but this outstripped them all. Exploring the woods on the edge of town, sure. Listening to rumours around town from old people about an apparently haunted mansion, it happens. But actually coming out to the middle of the woods to investigate said haunted, abandoned mansion? Terrible idea.





	1. Chiaroscuro

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LuciValk](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciValk/gifts), [Selador](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selador/gifts).



> This story will be this story and a set of snippets that will each have their own chapter.

Coming here had been his worst idea _ever_. Prompto had had terrible ideas before, but this outstripped them all. Exploring the woods on the edge of town, sure. Listening to rumours around town from old people about an apparently haunted mansion, it happens. But actually coming out to the middle of the woods to investigate said haunted, abandoned mansion? _Terrible idea_.

 

Because the mansion didn't quite seem to be as abandoned as everyone thought.

 

The man standing in front of him was so tall, making Prompto feel small as he caught himself reflexively curling and willed his arms to stay at his sides. But it was the presence around him that made Prompto tremble. The feeling that he was being watched and judged by something lurking in the shadows, just out of sight. Something cold and dark and _hungry_. From the way the stranger's lips curled up into a faint smile Prompto was sure he had noticed.

 

"You look somewhat lost," came a voice from behind him, crisply accented and it felt like an ice pick against his brain, "and so far from home."

 

The sudden chill that came over him was startling, and Prompto hadn't heard him coming, _he should have heard him coming_.

 

 _This was a terrible idea_ , Prompto thought as he whirled around to look at the other man and stepped back to keep both men in his sights, _this was a terrible idea and I'm going to die_.

 

The newer man had moss green eyes that felt like chips of ice. "So lost and alone, so afraid," he mused, almost thoughtfully. "We should have never let you go. It's time to come back to us," the words were sharp and possessive and so, _so_ cold.

 

The first man, so tall and broad, smiled at his apparent companion before he returned his dark, amber gaze to Prompto. " _Nostri solis_ , we've missed you," he said with that smile still on his lips. His rough-smooth voice was deep as stone and scraped like sandpaper on Prompto's already frayed nerves.

 

 _What the hell is going on!?_ Prompto, light on his feet but half-way paralyzed, stared at the men as they watched him, their eyes gleaming eerily in the gloom. It was hard to breathe through the thick, almost choking atmosphere, as if he were breathing smoke. The way the shadows were almost _crawling_ in the fading evening light.

 

Both men began to move forward, reaching out with beckoning hands and what could be expressions of fondness mixed in with their hunger. But Prompto didn't see it, didn't _care_. He pulled himself from where he stood to turn and run through the only door not blocked by the two strangers.

 

Prompto sprinted through the vast halls of the mansion without aim or direction. _There has to be a way out, there has to be_. Doors blurred past him as he ran as fast as he could, fear and panic throwing him heedlessly through the seemingly endless maze of corridors and rooms.

 

Prompto stopped.

 

It was a dead end. The room was a dead end, just some weathered and broken furniture shoved against a wall. The last dregs of twilight were drifting through boarded windows. The pounding of blood was slowly fading from Prompto's ears, pulling away the gauze of terror as he caught his breath.

 

He was alone and while he hadn't heard either of the men come after him, for all they were quiet he was faster than they'd be able to follow. Prompto watched the specks of dust floating on the faint, oddly cool breeze as he carefully made his way over to the window to inspect the frame.

 

Could he pull the boards down? Prompto wondered as he pushed hard on the boards and tried to pry his fingers between them in an effort to loosen them, before letting out a quiet hiss of a sigh in frustration. The boards wouldn't budge and only creaked at his efforts. He didn't have any tools, he didn't even know what floor he was on.

 

Ignoring the growing chill in the air Prompto gathered his thoughts. He couldn't leave from here so that only left finding another way out. He remembered going up stairs but he couldn't _remember_ , it was all blurred together. How long had he been running? How long had he been here?

 

Prompto's breath fogged in front of him, thick and cloudy in the suddenly icy air. _I really should never have come here,_ he thought as he stepped back, ready to make a break for it.

 

 But almost warm arms wrapped around him in a tight hug.

 

It felt like a bolt of frozen lightning down his spine and _he couldn't move_. Prompto couldn't move, couldn't see who was holding him, could only see wisps of black out of the corner of his eye. All he could do was feel soft, soft hair brushing against his neck and cheek as the stranger rested their chin on his shoulder.

 

"I've finally found you, Prompto. I missed you so much," the words were just so _happy_. The sheer joy in the stranger's voice didn't make any sense. He thought he knew him? And before the others had acted like they knew him as well, what was happening?

 

"H-how to you know my name?" Prompto forced out, his voice weak and shaking. He felt numb, hazy, as the shadows deepened. Stuck like a pinned butterfly, wrapped up like he was in the stranger's arms without the strength for even the weakest of struggles.

 

"Because I'll _always_ know you. ' _Ever at your side_ ', even if you don't remember," the stranger said, his voice as light and somehow warm in all the ways he wasn't. Prompto felt the feather soft hair brush against him as the stranger nuzzled against his cheek. It felt... _nice_ , familiar in a distant way he couldn't quite grasp.

 

 _He was so cold_.

 

Far off in the distance Prompto thought he could hear the chime of a grandfather clock, gentle bells reaching through the numbness and fog. Unable to help himself Prompto sagged against the other man, letting him take his weight and yielding to the embrace.

 

"It's time to come home."

 

Around them all light had faded, the shadows and gloom so thick he could barely see the faint twilight glow in front of him. Prompto closed his eyes as soft, warm lips pressed a smile to his cheek as he fell into darkness.


	2. Cangiante

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now for an outsider perspective.

His Oma was seated at the table, mug in hand, as she rambled on about the rudeness of the strangers she'd met in town the other day. Passersby, travellers on vacation it seemed, considering that _she_ certainly didn't know them.

 

Dino took a sip of his tea as she looked at him for his response, not that she really wanted one as she continued to gossip town news he knew better than to admit wasn't interesting. Mama wouldn't be _too_ mad if he was rude to Oma, she'd never really liked how nosy her mother-in-law was, but Oma would makes a fuss and tell _all_ her bridge buddies about how disrespectful the 'youth of today' had become and then she'd be the one to get the grief for it.

 

"-really they stop to chat with that Argentum boy but can't even spare a few minutes for little ol' me. Wouldn't even talk about their trip, just mentioned that they're on their way to see family."

 

Which Dino could hardly blame them for, not like _he'd_ talk about his personal business with a random stranger in a pit stop town in the middle of nowhere. But it did remind him. It had been a few days since he'd seen Prompto around town and that was _weird_.

 

Dino wasn't _worried_ , it wasn't like a few days was a long time, though it wasn't really in character for Prompto. It wasn't like there was much else to do in town during the summer other than wander around, and it's not like he could have gone out of town like their classmates. Not considering his parents were off on another business trip, _again_.

 

Though he could be sick, that could happen. Maybe he should go by Prompto's house to check up on him.

 

Dino took another sip as he tuned out his Oma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dino has a crush but he's a dumb teenager who won't admit it.


End file.
